nothing, and I worried that he wasn’t convinced. “Of course, it helps that we have you on our side,” he finally said, smiling at me. “Our healer. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have died in the hydra’s cave. You saved my life. I don’t think I can ever tell you how much that means to me.”
“You don’t have to.” I reached for his hand again, giving it a squeeze. “Because I already know. I saved you first in that cave, and I would do it again in a second.”
“Even if you knew Rachael was going to die?” he asked.
“Yes.” I held his gaze, not having to think about my answer. “I would never risk losing you. Ever.”
“I wish I could tell you that you should have saved Rachael instead of me,” he said. “It would be the noble thing to say. But I can’t, because if you’d saved her instead of me, we wouldn’t have this chance to be together. And I wouldn’t give up this chance for anything.”
His eyes didn’t leave mine, and I could feel the words on the tip of my tongue. I love you . I wanted to say them out loud. It would be so easy—so natural.
But then the waitress came to serve us our main course, and I pulled my hand out of Blake’s, jolted at being brought out of the moment so suddenly. I had to blink a few times to reorient myself. I couldn’t believe how close I’d been to making such a huge confession.
If the waitress hadn’t come over right then, would I have said it?
Maybe.
And I knew, deep in my heart, that I would have meant it.
CHAPTER TWO
Blake and I were getting started on dessert—chocolate fondue—when our phones both lit up with a text message.
911 – I need you all at my place. ASAP.
It was from Darius, and he’d sent it to everyone in our group—me, Blake, Chris, Kate, and Danielle. Which only could mean one thing.
“I guess another monster’s escaped from Kerberos,” Blake said exactly what I was thinking.
“I guess so.” I dragged a strawberry through the melted chocolate, looking at it sadly. “But this looks so good. Darius couldn’t have waited to text us until after we finished dessert?”
“Apparently not.” A mischievous glint passed over his eyes, and he leaned over the table, looking at me in challenge. “How fast can you eat?”
“I’m not sure.” I raised an eyebrow, having a good idea about where he was going with this. “Why?”
“Because we’re about to have a contest.” He divided all of the items on the dessert plate in half—a mix of strawberries and bananas, and bite-sized brownies, sponge cakes, and marshmallows. “Let’s see who can finish their side faster.” He held his fork up, and I did the same, nodding to let him know that I was ready. “One… two… three…”
Before he finished saying three, I’d already shoveled the strawberry into my mouth and was spearing the brownie in preparation to dip it into the chocolate. I ate so fast that I barely had time to enjoy it. I continued wolfing it down until most of my side was gone—I’d never eaten so quickly in my life—but somehow, Blake managed to beat me.
He finished chewing and dropped his fork on the table. “Done,” he declared, sitting back and crossing his arms in victory.
I forced down the last few bites of cheesecake, even though each bite made me feel as if I might explode. But I had to finish it so I wouldn’t be completely defeated.
“Thanks for not letting me win,” I said once I was done, taking a few sips of my water to help wash all that food down.
“Is that sarcasm that I detect?” he asked.
“No.” I smiled and shook my head. “I’m serious. I hate when people let me win. If I win, I want to know that I earned it.”
“Which is exactly why I didn’t let you win,” he said. “You’re competitive. I know that. And lucky for me, you’re good competition. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a girlfriend of mine.”
I smiled, loving how it sounded when he called me his girlfriend.
“What?” he asked,
“You don’t have to.” I reached for his hand again, giving it a squeeze. “Because I already know. I saved you first in that cave, and I would do it again in a second.”
“Even if you knew Rachael was going to die?” he asked.
“Yes.” I held his gaze, not having to think about my answer. “I would never risk losing you. Ever.”
“I wish I could tell you that you should have saved Rachael instead of me,” he said. “It would be the noble thing to say. But I can’t, because if you’d saved her instead of me, we wouldn’t have this chance to be together. And I wouldn’t give up this chance for anything.”
His eyes didn’t leave mine, and I could feel the words on the tip of my tongue. I love you . I wanted to say them out loud. It would be so easy—so natural.
But then the waitress came to serve us our main course, and I pulled my hand out of Blake’s, jolted at being brought out of the moment so suddenly. I had to blink a few times to reorient myself. I couldn’t believe how close I’d been to making such a huge confession.
If the waitress hadn’t come over right then, would I have said it?
Maybe.
And I knew, deep in my heart, that I would have meant it.
CHAPTER TWO
Blake and I were getting started on dessert—chocolate fondue—when our phones both lit up with a text message.
911 – I need you all at my place. ASAP.
It was from Darius, and he’d sent it to everyone in our group—me, Blake, Chris, Kate, and Danielle. Which only could mean one thing.
“I guess another monster’s escaped from Kerberos,” Blake said exactly what I was thinking.
“I guess so.” I dragged a strawberry through the melted chocolate, looking at it sadly. “But this looks so good. Darius couldn’t have waited to text us until after we finished dessert?”
“Apparently not.” A mischievous glint passed over his eyes, and he leaned over the table, looking at me in challenge. “How fast can you eat?”
“I’m not sure.” I raised an eyebrow, having a good idea about where he was going with this. “Why?”
“Because we’re about to have a contest.” He divided all of the items on the dessert plate in half—a mix of strawberries and bananas, and bite-sized brownies, sponge cakes, and marshmallows. “Let’s see who can finish their side faster.” He held his fork up, and I did the same, nodding to let him know that I was ready. “One… two… three…”
Before he finished saying three, I’d already shoveled the strawberry into my mouth and was spearing the brownie in preparation to dip it into the chocolate. I ate so fast that I barely had time to enjoy it. I continued wolfing it down until most of my side was gone—I’d never eaten so quickly in my life—but somehow, Blake managed to beat me.
He finished chewing and dropped his fork on the table. “Done,” he declared, sitting back and crossing his arms in victory.
I forced down the last few bites of cheesecake, even though each bite made me feel as if I might explode. But I had to finish it so I wouldn’t be completely defeated.
“Thanks for not letting me win,” I said once I was done, taking a few sips of my water to help wash all that food down.
“Is that sarcasm that I detect?” he asked.
“No.” I smiled and shook my head. “I’m serious. I hate when people let me win. If I win, I want to know that I earned it.”
“Which is exactly why I didn’t let you win,” he said. “You’re competitive. I know that. And lucky for me, you’re good competition. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a girlfriend of mine.”
I smiled, loving how it sounded when he called me his girlfriend.
“What?” he asked,
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